It has been interesting to read in this column the dialogue regarding Black Lives Matter. Both sides make salient points; so what can we learn from each other?

Many of us are sympathetic to the statement “Black Lives Matter” and the emotion behind the statement. Believe it or not, beneath our skin, we are all the same, and the idea that some should be harmed, belittled or deprived because of the color of that skin is abhorrent to us.

Because of this consciousness, we would love to be able to back this organization.

Recently, a reader wrote an amazing letter in this column describing a recent local peaceful demonstration. She acknowledged that detractors stopped and attempted to discredit the “Black Lives Matter” organization. She asked us to check the organization out on their website, blacklivesmatter.com. So we did.

That search caused us to delve further into the ideological underpinnings of the official organization and the credentials of the three founders, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi. From their own writings and interviews, we learned that the Black Lives Matter official organization has aims that go far beyond the uplifting of black people. You can search yourself, starting with a 2015 interview of Cullors on “The Real News Network.” Here Ms. Cullors proudly says, “We do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia, in particular, are trained organizers; we are trained Marxists.” Interesting, and without a doubt, unknown to many supporters, including those who made their brave stand in our local area.

Further ideas espoused by these leaders are easily accessed by doing an online search — not of what others say about them but what they themselves say or write, such as their antagonism toward the white race, the male gender (even the black male gender), the nuclear family, to say nothing of their promotion of normalizing alternative sexuality. Consider that they receive millions of dollars in donations to promote these ideas.

We acknowledge that Marxist beliefs have a right to expression and examination in the U.S., but, knowing what we do about Marxism’s boldly stated purpose of tearing down a culture to establish a “new society,” shouldn’t we be wise in our support?

Indeed, do we need to back the Black Lives Matter organization in order to support our black brothers and sisters?

How about frequenting minority-owned businesses? How about encouraging our children to befriend and defend minorities in their schools? How about inviting black neighbors over for dinner? How about inviting them to our church or attending theirs? How about hiring minorities? How about asking them what THEY would have us do to better race relations?

As the aforementioned letter to the letter admonishes: “It is our responsibility to leave this Earth better than we found it.” To that thought we say, “Amen.”